Baked Chicken à l'Orange

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer in a baking dish.

Sprinkle the salt and white pepper evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.

Scatter the chopped celery around and over the chicken pieces in the baking dish.

Pour the diet Shasta orange soda over the chicken and celery, ensuring the liquid distributes evenly across the dish.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part.

Remove the foil carefully and check that the chicken is opaque and no longer pink. Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon some of the cooking liquid and celery over each portion.